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Alexi is silent, he knows this is what he needs. The only question is, is Evie ready to start taking things further with us? She still sleeps in her own room, even if one of us ends up in there with her at some point. But I feel like she needs a push in the right direction, and Alexi needs release before we all explode along with him.
“You know it’s true. I’m going up to the house. Neither of you step across that threshold until this is settled. No family drama.”
I give both of them a pointed stare but Evie’s mouth nearly falls to the floor.I fucking love that look on her.
Leaning over the console, I grab her hair at the base of her neck and pull her in for a kiss. She hesitates at first, but soonshe’s leaning into it. When my tongue swipes at her lips, she opens for me like the good girl she is. Then, I pull back.
“Have fun,” I say as I slide out of the car.
Evie tries to give me one of her ‘I’m going to murder you’ faces, but it falls short when I slam the door and jog towards the elevator. I left my keys in the car if they want to go somewhere else, but I’m not letting either of them back into the house until they both look sated.
Yup, I’m a genius.
Chapter 20
I can see Evie is hesitant. Dr. K warned us in the beginning that heightened emotions could trigger PTSD responses. However, we’ve all been given the okay to work on it after our session two days ago.
The three of us decided to let Evie take the reins. We wanted it all to be her choice. I guess Damien decided to change that plan now. As much as I love that he is growing up and taking charge, he does it with a sense of recklessness that puts me on edge.
Evie looks around the garage. There are other cars here, and while we have our own elevator that is only shared with my father, it’s definitely not a private place to be.
I already noticed Damien left the keys in the cupholder.
Stepping out of the car, I slide into the driver's seat.
“What are you doing?” Evie asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I am not fucking you in this garage,” I say as I turn on the car and take us out of the parking deck. She’s quiet for a while, clearly nervous.
“We do not have to do anything you are not ready for, Princess.”
“I know,” she says immediately.
It’s important that she knows consent always matters to me. Even when I may be pissed at her outrageous ideas of how to communicate when one is hurt.
I start driving to a familiar place, one that always brings a lightness to my chest, and I know Evie will love it too. With Adrik and Rostya in hiding, my people have secured the town, I decide the destination is a safe place to venture.
When it’s clear after a few minutes that I have a destination in mind, Evie sits up a little straighter.
“Where are we going?”
Between therapy, journaling, exercising, and settling into our new home, she has not left the house much. She has not gotten to see much more of my home town, or share in the few happy memories I have of this place.
“Kolomenskoye.”
“Okay, but like in English.”
I laugh, knowing she knows nothing about the town that houses the beautiful estate where Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich once ruled.
“Did you know I was named after an emperor of Russia?”
“I did not.” She turns to me, grinning mischievously as if she has a comment ready to share under her sleeve, just waiting forthe right moment. It reminds me so much of Damien I smile as I tell her the story.
“It is quite humorous, I think, that my mother picked him. He was a quiet man who brokered peace within the nation. He is known for communicating well and seeking the counsel of others in areas where he did not have great knowledge.”
She laughs. “So, the opposite of you.”And there it is.
“Exactly.”
